What Once Was Lost
by melsharmony
Summary: The Doctor saves someone he loves from Gallifrey's destruction, but all these years has never been able to find her. Now that he finds himself alone again will he be motivated to try one last time? Takes place post Journey's End...starting slow, with reflections and flashbacks but I promise the adventure will come. Chameleon Arch fun :
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first try at fan fiction, first time writing in a long time…period. And I'm also quite new to the Doctor Who universe. Unfortunately, I think my first two chapters will include a bit of flash backs but that's how it goes I guess. This is meant to take place immediately after Journey's End but before the Doctor regenerates into the Eleventh. Hope you all enjoy!**

_The world was falling down around them, and they were caught in a moment that was coming to an end all too quickly. He held her face in his hands, their noses pressed together, eyes closed. "I need you to be brave. His voice reverberated with a strength she had never heard before, a strength she needed right now._

_Her voice cracked, "Brave...right."_

_They finally opened their eyes. If he looked into her's for one moment longer he might lose all will he had for the task at hand. Her eyes were filled with the same fire as filled his soul. They were the color of ice and wind, they were tranquil pools of water that reflected sunlight and the warmth of unbridled love. "You know why I have to do this, please tell me you understand."_

"_I know, my love, I know. There is no other way."_

"_I promise I'll find you. No matter where you are, no matter when you are. I'll  
find you"_

"_I know you will," she replied softly as the tears she had been holding back spilled like water falls down her cheeks, "you always do."_

The Doctor's eyes flew open frantically, beads of sweat dripping down his temples. He collapsed in on himself as he realized the nightmare had returned again. He thought when he destroyed his planet and ended the Time War his sleeping hours would be filled with the horrors and guilt of lives lost, not of the one he saved. This was why he spent so little of his time sleeping; and so much time running.

Silence echoed in the TARDIS. Rose was gone, happy now, no doubt. Martha, Jack, Sarah Jane, Donna, even the idiot Mickey, they were all gone. They had all been a band-aid for the pain he felt in his heart. The Doctor sat up fully now, making an effort to rub the sleep from his eyes. He stood up and began to make his way around the center of the TARDIS. Every movement he made bounced off the walls of the empty room. He quietly reflected as he ran his fingers over the controls.

He had spent so much time filling the emptiness inside, it was true he had experienced a measure of joy. But it paled in comparison to what he had hoped his life after Gallifrey would be like. Now, as he reached this crossroads loneliness clung to him like a leech. He was so lost, he didn't even know what his next move should be. So instead, he just drifted aimlessly in space while the shadows of his past lurked in the quiet, empty air of the TARDIS.

_She was safe now. And soon they would be running through all of time and space together. As the time approached, the Doctor slowly cut ties to all of his emotions. Every last one had to be severed from his very being. And with one swift motion the end came. _

_The Doctor braced himself after the bang, both literal and figurative. It was as if he expected some immediate act of divine justice to come down and strike him dead for what he had just done. But it was worse. Instead, there was only silence, and only the pangs and stabs of the Doctor's own conscience remaining. He bent his head down as if to prepare himself for the tears and sobs that should be coming. But nothing came. His heart was hard now, his tears dried up. He had nothing left inside himself. There was only one thought in his mind now, only one thing keeping him sane. He must find her, he must free her._

_The Doctor stood up and moved too quickly toward the controls of his TARDIS. A sharp pain ripped through him and brought him to his knees. He hadn't predicted the effect the Moment would have on its operator. Now, it made sense, a weapon that powerful would obviously have effects on the poor soul operating it. As the sharp pain tore through him again the Doctor cried out, a sound of pure anguish. "Well," he said under his breath "this is one time I can't say I'm sad to see myself go."_

_With that the Doctor's back arched, his head was thrown back and pure energy poured forth from his being. Every cell in his body entered a state of flux, he was changing, becoming the ninth version of himself, a version born out of blood and war. But still, even in such a state of upheaval and tumult the one thought continued in his head, persistently, relentlessly, "I'm coming for you. No matter where you are, no matter when you are. I'll find you."_


	2. Chapter 2

_The pain was intense, burning, and unmitigated. But that wasn't why she cried. For someone who was used to having such control, what was about to pass was the ultimate torture. As she had begun this process she pushed one thought to the forefront of her mind, 'Let me become someone he'll notice, let me be somewhere he'll find me.' But even now, she could feel her thoughts, her feelings, and her very essence slipping away. She clung to the memory of her Doctor like a small child clinging to a teddy bear. But even that started to slip away. It didn't happen in slow motion, as it seems that crisis usually do. Instead, it felt practically instantaneous, a million and one changes happening in just a moment of time. She had become someone that so desperately needed to be rescued, and someone who had no idea that she needed to be. _

-

It was 6:00 in the morning; it was going to be a mild day, not too hot, not too cold, your typical early September day. But right now there was a slight bite to the air, the warmth of the sun was not yet noticeable and the truth was that autumn would soon be descending on Cardiff. Abigail James exited her small, humble, flat ready to conquer her day. She had a new resolve having just narrowly escaped death, or at least that's how it felt. She promised herself she would never forget the day the sky became filled with 26 planets other than her own. There were so many conflicting stories of how the planet had been saved; she wasn't sure which one to believe. Something, however, told her that there was a "someone" behind everything. She hoped one day she would be able to uncover that mystery. But really, in what universe would she, simple, plain, ordinary Abigail ever have reason, or opportunity to live such a fantastical adventure first hand.

Abigail walked briskly down the sidewalk. It was only a ten minute walk from home to work but this was her first week at the small diner, and though she was catching on quickly Abigail knew she needed this job and sought to do everything she could to impress. The life of a poor college student, it was definitely not glamorous but she knew that it was simply a means to an end.

Turning the corner Abi could see the small restaurant come into view, the lights shone out from the dimness of the dawn around her. As she approached the doors she could see Meg hunched over the counter reading a fashion magazine. Though Meg seemed to be everything Abigail was not, the two had become fast friends. They looked quite oddly matched, despite the identical, hideous, mustard colored waitress uniforms. Meg had her dark brown, nearly black hair streaked with purple this week and piled clumsily on top of her head. At a glance, any normal human would label Meg "the hottie" of the two. She had the body, the complicated makeup and manicured fingernails, and she had a personality to match; always outspoken, talkative, a textbook extravert. However, for those who took the time, Abigail James had something that Meg did not. It was nothing tangible, true, Abigail was pretty. Her skin was fair but sun kissed from the summer past. Her hair was like wheat bathing in the sunlight; it was long but was normally pulled up and out of the way for one reason or another. Her smile was genuine and sweet and it matched her temperament perfectly. But her eyes were what captivated those who took the time to look long enough. They were blue, icy and warm at the same time. They were the color of a snow-scape against a cloudless sky, and they carried the weight of centuries of experience, though she herself was only twenty something; they also bore sadness, a burden, a loss of something, deep within them. However, within those eyes, behind the sadness, was also a spark of life, of hope, and what made Abigail truly beautiful was she was completely unaware of the beauty in that.

"Hey Megs." she said, a bit of sleep still in her voice.

"Hey," Meg replied as she chewed her gum methodically, not making the effort to look up from the latest celebrity gossip, "ugh! Can you believe she wore _that_?"

Abi glanced over from where she was hanging up her jacket as Meg held up her magazine, "You know I don't follow any of that stuff."

"Yeah I know. You're so weird."

"Okay girls! Look lively!" Mrs. Murphy, the owner of the little diner emerged from the back, "The regulars should be here any minute."

Abi tied her apron around her waist and checked the pockets for her pen and pad. No sooner had their motherly boss nudged them into action than the first customer entered, though oddly, not a regular. Meg was still absorbed in her pointless drabble so Abigail made her way to the far corner of the restaurant where the man had stationed himself with his back towards her. He was hunched over the table in the booth looking at the menu, still wearing his gray, wool trench coat.

Abigail smiled as she approached the end of his table, he was definitely good looking, his hair was dark and thick and she had to calm her nerves, she had never been particularly comfortable around good looking men, "Hi" she said, trying not to let her cheeks flush pink, "what can I get for you?"

The man looked at her, first only out of the corner of his eye, but when he caught a glimpse of her small, but hourglass shaped figure he slowly absorbed all that she was. As his eyes moved up her body a smirk spread across his face, exposing his dimples. 'Oh great," Abi thought 'you have dimples too.'

The man sat up fully now and turned towards her slightly, his smirk becoming a very large, beaming, smile now. He stuck out his hand to shake hers and introduced himself, "Captain Jack Harkness" he said, "And you are?"


	3. Chapter 3

**CH. 3**

Abigail's eyes widened as an awkward silence lingered in the air. Jack just smiled as Abigail squirmed internally and worked a little too hard to avoid eye contact. 'My name' she thought 'yeah, I know this.'

"Um …yes…" she said stopping mid sentence.

"Your name is yes?" he continued to smirk playfully.

"No." she replied desperately trying to think of a way to escape.

The restaurant started to fill with its early morning customers, a couple of the men sitting at the counter laughed heartily in greeting. Abigail's glance shot that way briefly before darting back to Jack who had now reached out to grab her had since she had left him hanging for some time now. She was now eye locked with him, the very thing she had sought to escape. "Abigail" she finally blurted out.

"Abigail" He repeated back, "nice to meet you Abigail. "

Abigail watched as his gaze finally darted away from her's for just a moment, he was looking at the plainly dressed man who had just walked in to the diner. But as she looked to see what was pulling his attention away he quickly lassoed her back into conversation. "Right, so… I don't think I've seen you here before."

Everything he said oozed cliché, but it worked. Abigail could feel her nerves both heightening and melting away, she felt like a walking, talking fifteen year old, oxymoron. Abigail had forgotten how conversation worked momentarily so it took her a bit before slowly stammering out "Yeah, oh, yeah, this is my first week actually." She shifted her weight from one side to the other nervously.

"Really?" Captain Jack looked pleased. "So tell me, what's a knock out like you doing working in a little hole in the wall like this."

'Man, he doesn't let up' Abigail thought, 'and why on earth am I blushing?'

Before Abigail could answer a commotion erupted over by the booth where stranger who had momentarily drawn Jack's attention away was stationed. As he bolted out the door, nearly knocking over Meg, Jack stood quickly running after him. Abi was stunned, but something inside her being told her to follow him. 'Run!' It whispered, 'Just run!' She bolted out the door after him and though she wasn't quite as fast she kept pace with him relatively well until he finally came to a stop. There was an empty alleyway on either side of the street, save the few dumpsters and renegade pieces of trash that blew like tumbleweeds in a ghost town. On the street they were on, only a few deserted cars were parked, otherwise, the sound of the two catching their breath was the only thing either could hear. Jack looked down at his feet, slightly disappointed, but turned around smiling, hands on his hips, pushing back his long coat and exposing his suspenders. "Who was that?" Abigail asked.

"Not important," Jack replied, "what is important is that it seems you couldn't resist following me. Must be my animal magnetism." He winked at her coyly.

She laughed slightly and smiled, "Yeah, right that's it, it has nothing to do wi-"

Before Abigail could finish her sentence a dark figure leapt from the building above, knocking her to the ground. Jack quickly pulled out some sort of weapon, "Let her go Skoren, she's not a part of this."

"Right, you expect me to believe that!" the now very non-human looking figure hissed.

"Yeah I do, I told you I'd come alone and I did, you don't want to be stuck here on earth any more than we want you here, why would I lie about something like this?"

The creature's dark, scaly, appendage loosened slightly around Abigail's neck as he reflected on Captain Jack's point. Abigail squirmed, terrified, and hoping it was loose enough for her to free herself. If she had been able to see the figure behind her, she would have known this was quite improbable, if not impossible. The large alien stood about seven feet high and looked something like bear, but covered in skin like a crocodile, and with nostrils to match. It had four arms, in addition to the two large, clawed feet that let it stand upright. As she attempted to get away the creature's grip tightened again.

"You'll forgive me, "it continued, "but your reputation precedes you Captain. So you can see why I'd be a bit mistrusting. I think I'll hold on to the lady for now."

Abigail stared Jack down, her eye's pleading with him to get her out of this mess. This was _not _how she had pictured her day going when she woke up this morning.

"Don't worry Abigail, it's going to be alright."

"Yeah," Abi replied irritated, "it really seems alright!"

"Ooh, feisty," Jack smirked, "I like that."

"Really!" Abigail retorted, "You're going to flirt now!"

"Right," Jack replied, "Probably not the time or place, we'll come back to that later."

"Enough!" Skoren boomed, "You want me gone, I my ship needs fuel. You provide me with that, I'll be on my way from your disgusting, smelly, warm-blooded planet."

"You know that's never going to happen. Torchwood can provide you with new means to leave this planet but you have to leave your ship here, the kind of fuel you need is out of the question."

"Well then, it looks like you'll be stuck with me for a very long time Captain."

"Skoren! Just listen to me!"

"NO!" The creature's response shook the windows of the few cars on the street, and Abigail was shocked that no one had emerged from their homes. "I will not leave my ship!" he continued emphatically but less loud as before, "And if you will not help me you can take this fragile female and be on your way."

With that the alien threw Abigail across the street and as she landed at Jack's feet it jumped higher than anything she had ever seen. Jack bent down as he tucked his weapon away. "You alright?" he said as he wrapped his arms around Abi's shoulders. She moved her head in a circle, not quite a yes, but not a no either. She was alive, in that sense she was just fine, but compared to her normal definition of "alright", no she was, in fact, quite far from alright.

"What…wha…what…" she began to ask but before she could continue she felt warm liquid sliding down her temple. Reaching up, Abigail touched her forehead then pulled away her blood stained fingers. The metallic smell of the blood filled her nostrils as the street around her faded to black.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you for your nice comments I really appreciate it! It definitely keeps me motivated to write more when I know that this is being read. Thanks again for comments, faves, and follows!**

The images flashing behind Abigail's eyes were unearthly and impossible to interpret. Streaks of red and gold appeared then disappeared, buildings glistening in warm light. There was a void that appeared too, a vortex filled with everything in the universe; it contained every thought, every emotion, every moment in time, it was wonderful and terrifying at the same time. But what was more terrifying was the shadow that appeared, the man with no face. He only appeared as an outline in her dreams, but his presence, or lack thereof, filled Abigail with such grief, and such loneliness, it was unbearable.

As the perplexing images started to fade, new, more familiar ones took their place. But, were they familiar? Abigail blinked a couple times as the room around her came into focus. It was as if she was trying to translate her surroundings like a strange language she had never seen before. The stark white ceiling of the rented flat she resided in finally came into focus. She sat up in her own bed, unaware of what time or day it was. Suddenly, that mornings events came flooding back into her memory as if a dam had burst in her mind. Abigail shook her head, trying to dismiss the ridiculousness of her imaginings.

She stood up slowly and walked over to the mirror that hung just above her dresser. Her brow furrowed as she reached up and felt the still tender wound on her forehead. She looked essentially the same as when she had left the house that morning, minus the disheveled hair and dirt smudges on her clothing. Her forehead and face had been cleaned and bandaged, but by whom? As Abigail tried to reassemble the pieces of the puzzle she heard a voice from out in the living room.

"Well keep trying." The masculine sounding voice said "Yes, I know. But I still think he's our best bet, Skoren will at least respect him if nothing else, right now he doesn't even trust us."

There was a pause as Abigail exited her room. As she turned the corner of the hallway Captain Jack's figure came into view. He was talking to someone on the phone and had his back turned toward Abigail as he was looking out the one, large, window that graced the room. "Right," he said, "that's my next step. I'll be in touch." With that he hung up the phone.

"Is this a typical day for you then?" Abigail asked, her lips dry and voice scratchy.

Jack turned around and flashed a tired, cockeyed smile. "Pretty much," he smirked, "but I admit it's not everyday I meet someone quite like you Abigail James…a girl who doesn't bat an eyelash at an alien from another planet nearly twice her size, but faints at the sight of blood?"

Abigail laughed lightly at herself, suddenly it occurred to Abigail that they were in her apartment, she knew they were, but she hadn't realized the significance of that until this moment. "How did we get here? I've never met you before in my life, how did you know where I live?"

"Well," Jack said, his chest puffing up slightly, "for a guy like me, who deals with deadly aliens and thwarts the end of the world on a daily basis, finding out someone's full name and address isn't exactly rocket science."

"I suppose not." Abigail said still not entirely impressed, or convinced.

Another awkward silence lingered between the two briefly. "Right," Abigail said, hoisting herself off the wall she had been supporting herself on, "I'm making myself a cup of tea, you sound American, but I'm betting you can still appreciate a good cup of tea, can I make you one?"

"Honestly, I'm more of a black coffee sort of guy. " Jack replied.

Abigail paused trying to remember the last time she had coffee in the house. "Well, I'll see what I can do" she replied chasing the ghost of a memory of serving coffee to a bloke she had been seeing a few months back.

Captain Jack circled around Abigail's chaotic living room. As he did he picked up one old book after another, turning each over in his hands, reading a few lines, then setting it down and moving on to the next.

"So," Abigail called from the kitchen, "are you going to tell me what that thing was, or do I really have to ask?"

"Oh that?" Jack retorted lightheartedly, "I thought maybe you had forgotten about that."

"Of course! A gigantic, scaly, talking lizard holds me hostage and you think I'm not going to have questions!"

"Well there's a first time for everything."

"Seriously though," Abigail rounded the corner, "what was that?"

Jack sighed, "I guess I'm not going to be able to skip over this am I?"

"Not a chance."

"Well then, that was Skoren."

"Yes I heard you call it that. What is a Skoren?"

"No, he's not a Skoren, that's his name, Skoren. He comes from…well …another planet. I'm going to try to keep this as simple as possible. So, try not to ask for too many unpronounceable names of places and species. Okay?"

"Okay." Abigail nodded trying not to look phased by anything this early in the conversation.

"So, Skoren. He crashed here not too long ago, and his ship is badly damaged. Now, me and my team, we've been trying to track him down, but this hasn't been particularly easy given the recent events, you can understand why we've been a little…distracted."

"Right," Abigail said, "other planets in the sky, invaders from outerspace, understandable. But who are you, and who is your team?"

"Well, I didn't lie about my name if that's what you're implying. Captain Jack Harkness _is_ my real name, and I work for Torchwood."

"Torchwood?"

"We deal with….things….beings…." Jack was searching for a delicate way to say this and when he found none he simply proceeded as honestly as possible, "We deal with aliens and alien threats from other worlds."

"Ah. I see." Abigail said, still maintaining a calm exterior. "So what was that thing doing? It said it needed fuel, so why not just give it to him and send him on his merry way?"

"Because the fuel he needs is not something I'm willing to give."

"Well what is it?"

"His ship is alive," Jack was getting quite animated now, "it doesn't need fuel like cars or boats or trains need fuel, it needs food, and the only thing that is compatible on this planet is humans, nothing else will work."

Abigail's mouth opened slightly in shock. "I see" she repeated quietly.

The kettle in the kitchen started to whistle signaling it was done. "I'm just going to get that, be right back."

Abigail exited the room and Jack went back to touring the mess. Suddenly he stopped. He could still hear Abigail clamoring about in the other room. He suddenly turned internally frantic; he knew he needed to act fast. Suddenly his phone rang, not taking his eyes off the object, he answered, "Hello?"

"We've found him; I have coordinates for you if you're ready to go."

"Oh I'm ready!" Jack replied in a tone more excited than the voice on the other end of the line anticipated, this couldn't have worked out more perfectly, "Send me them ASAP …. and let him know I'm coming, and I'm bringing my plus one."

"Sir?" the voice was confused.

"Just do it!" Jack said authoritatively.

In the next moment Abigail re-entered the room, just as Jack was hanging up the phone. "Abi, you may want to change into something a little more practical for alien hunting, you're coming with me."

The blonde's eyes widened momentarily as she considered declining the offer. But, despite the fright that flashed in them, there was something else. She set the cups she had prepared down on the counter and went back into her bedroom to remove the dirtied, yellow waitress uniform and ugly orthopedic shoes.

As Jack turned back around to face the object that had gotten him so excited, he understood what the something else he had seen in Abigail's eyes was. He scooped it up quickly and housed it safely in the deep pockets of his coat.

Jack could barely stand still he was so excited, so instead, he paced around the room like someone on the verge of a scientific breakthrough who had indulged in way too much caffeine. As Abigail emerged from her room dressed much more appropriately, she looked at Jack and wore a million questions on her face. Instead of answering any of them Jack just took her hand and bolted out the door; and Abigail followed him, just as the whisper in her head told her to.


	5. Chapter 5

_**I have to apologize again for taking so long to update my story. We have been in the midst of moving so needless to say things have been a bit hectic. Hopefully once were settled I'll be able to update more regularly. Thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed, and commented, it means a lot to me!**_

The Doctor was not amused. He finally had set his heart on a destination and now he found himself right back where he started. Stepping outside the TARDIS he sternly scolded the blue box under his breath and lightly kicked one of the corners. As if in reply the unassuming police box let out a quiet _woosh_, a nonverbal way of saying "Trust me. Have I let you down thus far?"

To him, the day seemed overcast and ordinary, mundane, and probably a Sunday. Nevertheless, contrary to the negative, grumpy feelings he was experiencing he locked up the TARDIS and began to wander.

The street he was on was sparsely populated and mostly residential. As he reached the end of the line of homes and turned the corner a playground came into view. A few children played on the sets, jetting back and forth between the monkey bars and the swings. The Doctor paused momentarily, leaning up against the chain-link fence. The squeals and laughter that emanated from the scene that lay before his eyes made him both joyous and utterly devastated. As with every moment, of every second of his life, he faced a choice. As he observed young life blossoming and free from worry, he analyzed them with a furrowed brow and made his choice. The Doctor smiled, a beaming grin from ear to ear; how happy they were, these small, pint sized humans, and how marvelous, even in childhood, the human race was. Though, he mused further, children on nearly any planet were the same, so carefree and oblivious to the dangers of the world around them. What he wouldn't give to be a child again, before looking into the untempered schism, before he had taken upon himself the weight of the universe.

As he hoisted himself out of the caverns of his own mind the Doctor raised his eyes to the horizon and his gaze fell upon a familiar figure. The breeze blew Captain Jack's long coat out behind him as he trudged across the park that lead up to the playground. The absolute nature of his presence was like fingernails on a chalkboard for the Doctor. It made his teeth hurt, and the ridiculous, triumphant smile that the Captain wore didn't help matters. The Doctor stood himself upright and cleared his throat as Jack approached. "I should have known it was you." He said, his voice sounding unfriendly as he felt.

"Aw come on Doc I thought we moved past this."

"I suppose we did somewhat, but that doesn't justify you somehow luring me back here to Cardiff."

"I don't know what you're talking about" Jack teased.

"Right."

In truth the Doctor wasn't really as irritated at seeing Jack as he was letting on. Jack had redeemed himself somewhat during their last several encounters. But, in reality it was since he discovered that Jack would likely one day become the Face of Boe, that the Doctor was ever so slightly endeared to him. He didn't understand how the man he saw before him would morph into such a force of wisdom, a virtual staple of the universe. But alas, there wasn't much use in trying to make sense of time, the Doctor had learned that long ago.

"Well, all that aside," the Doctor continued, "Please say you have something interesting going on to distract me with. I'm dying of boredom and I haven't even been here ten minutes."

"Oh boy, do I!" Jack replied, "I have two somethings interesting. Do you remember Skoren?"

"Ah geeze, I could have gone at least two more regenerations without seeing him again."

"Tell me about it!" Jack agreed.

"Well what's he want now. And why on earth is he…well…on earth? Isn't earth a bit out of his way?"

"Well, it is, he doesn't want to be here, but he's stuck."

The Doctor mused on this for a split second before he realized what this meant, "Oh no. No, no, no, no, no, no…that is NOT happening. Not in a million, million years is that happening."

"That's what I told him, but for some reason he doesn't trust me to get him out of here any other way."

"Well…" the Doctor smirked.

"Hey!" Jack retorted good naturedly.

The background noise of the children playing was the only sound that briefly filled the air as the doctor mulled over the situation. Jack interjected before the Doctor could speak.

"I tried to talk to him, and it didn't go so well. Since then we can't find him anywhere. He's gone into hiding until a more convenient time I suppose."

"Right, well we'll have to find him first, Skoren doesn't like coming out during the day so we'll have to wait 'til nightfall. Now, I thought you said you had two interesting things."

"I do." Jack smiled knowing that what he was about to reveal was bigger, better, and way more exciting than the reptilian problem he had just detailed.

"Well, out with it then." The Doctor told him impatiently.

"Now, now hold your horses."

The Doctor grew increasingly more irritated as Jack was, in fact, enjoying the suspense a little too much.

"So this is great, it really is. This morning when I was getting ready to meet Skoren…" Jack continued, recounting the events of the day thus far. However, the Doctor stopped paying attention to him about a third of the way through. Instead, his eyes were firmly fixed towards in the direction Captain Jack had come from. Moving steadily towards them was Abigail, though The Doctor didn't know her by that name. She had grown weary of waiting down the hill by the tree where Jack had inexplicably left her. Then there were the whispers, the subtle, quiet whispers that called to her and reeled her in like a fish hanging on a lure.

The Doctor took several steps forward, brushing past Jack in the process and stopping him midsentence. "Seriously?" Jack complained, knowing his big reveal was ruined.

Abigail continued to move forward as the same wind that had blown Jack's coat backward like a superhero's cape tousled her hair back and forth across her face. She saw the tall man standing with Captain Jack, and couldn't help but fixate on his face. There was something about him that made her feel like looking at his face was like reading a sentence she couldn't quite comprehend. Even though she understood the words themselves, no matter how many times she read them together she couldn't understand what it all meant.

Internally, The Doctor felt in an uproar. Every cell of his body and both of his hearts never wanted to run to something, or rather, someone so much. He knew logically he could not, she wouldn't understand just yet, but a war waged inside of him as he watched what he had ached for materialize before his eyes. Though his mind told him not to surrender himself once more to hope, the tangible nature of the figure that stood before him was all he needed; it was the first few drops of water that quenched his insatiable loneliness. As Abigail drew closer, The Doctor took a few more steps to close the gap.

The way in which the man looked at Abigail left her more confused than anything else. When he looked at her it was like lightening ran through her body and up her spine but it didn't make much sense. She had never before met this man in her life, but when their eyes met it was as if he gazed upon her with knowledge of her inner person that even she didn't know; it seemed he was anticipating her thoughts and the beat of her own heart.

Since both parties were dumbfounded for one reason or another they stood facing each other for quite a long time in silence. Their eyes fixated one to the other and standing quite closer than new acquaintances usually do. Jack stood a few paces back, not quite sure what to make of the situation. Finally Abigail spoke uncomfortably, "I'm Abigail, I suppose Jack has told you about me already?"

The manner and words that Abigail spoke brought a wave of sorrow over the Doctor that snapped him out of the dream he imagined he was living. "Of course, he was just getting me up to date on his morning; he hadn't quite mentioned you yet."

The Doctor shot a sideways, despondent look towards Jack. He didn't know what emotion to feel first, elation, distress, relief, anger, gratitude, love. Instead, he seemed to feel them all at once. However, somewhere in the tumultuous storm that was his mind, The Doctor had a moment of clarity. This was no place, no time, for him to reveal to this woman who, or what, she was. For the time being, it was better for her to live as she was, human, and oblivious.


End file.
